The Feminist Killjoy Handbook

A renowned feminist thinker makes an argument for interrupting happiness—our own and other people’s—to build a more just world.

"Simultaneously inspiring and practical—a wonderful guide for becoming a more powerful and thoughtful social justice activist in everyday situations.” -Julia Serano, author of Whipping Girl

Do you refuse to laugh at offensive jokes? Have you ever been accused of ruining dinner by pointing out your companion’s sexist comment? Are you often told to stop being so “woke”? If so, you might be a feminist killjoy—and this handbook is for you. In this book, feminist theorist Sara Ahmed shows how killing joy can be a radical world-making project.

Presenting sharp analysis of literature, film, and influential feminist works, and drawing on her own experiences as a queer feminist scholar-activist of color, Ahmed reveals the invaluable lessons of the feminist killjoy, from the importance of asking questions to the power of the eye roll. The Feminist Killjoy Handbook offers an outstretched hand to feminist killjoys everywhere and an essential intellectual guide to the transformative power of getting in the way.